Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, better known as Wizkid, isn’t just Nigeria’s biggest musical export. He’s Africa’s most decorated artist, the first from the continent to hit 10 billion Spotify streams, and the man who helped put Afrobeats on the global map. From selling out stadiums in London to collaborating with Drake and Beyoncé, Wizkid’s progression from Lagos slums to international stardom is that kind of success story that inspires generations.
Born on July 16, 1990, in Ojuelegba, Surulere, Lagos, thr superstar has amassed approximately 156-157 awards throughout his career, making him Africa’s most awarded artist in history. His estimated net worth stands at $50 million (roughly ₦76 billion), positioning him among the continent’s wealthiest entertainers. But the numbers only tell part of his story.
Biography
Wizkid grew up in a polygamous household as the only son among 13 children. His father, Alhaji Muniru Olatunji Balogun, a practicing Muslim, gave him the Islamic name Ibrahim, while his mother, Jane Dolapo Morayo Balogun, was a Pentecostal pastor and businesswoman.
His mother, who passed away in London on August 18, 2023, came from the prominent Shitta-Bey family and was a University of Lagos graduate. Her death profoundly affected Wizkid, inspiring his sixth studio album “Morayo” (Yoruba for “I see joy”), released in November 2024. He’d later name his first daughter after her, as a way of recognizing her legacy in his life’s work.
Music grabbed hold of Wizkid early. At just 11 years old, he formed a gospel group called “Glorious Five” under the stage name “Lil Prinz.” He formed the group with a few of his church friends. His musical heroes included Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, and Bob Marley, artists whose influence would later shape his sound. He attended Ijebu Ode Grammar School, though education wasn’t his calling. In 2009, he dropped out of both Lagos State University (LASU) and Lead City University, choosing instead to pursue his passion for music.
Wizkid spent approximately five years learning his craft at OJB Jezreel’s Point Beat Studios, where the legendary producer advised him to delay recording for a full year to develop properly. During this period, he watched Nigerian icons like 2Face Idibia record hits, soaking up knowledge.
Career
The path to stardom wasn’t smooth. Growing up in Surulere, Wizkid paid his dues to several Nigerian music legends. He co-wrote “Omoge You Too Much” for Banky W, which appeared on “The W Experience” album. He was present during Sound Sultan’s “Jagabantis” recording sessions and received mentorship from Naeto C when he was just 15 years old.
In 2009, Wizkid signed with Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E), marking the official start of his professional career. His breakthrough came in 2010 with “Holla at Your Boy,” the lead single from his debut album “Superstar” (released June 12, 2011). The track won him the Next Rated Award and Best Pop Single at the 2011 Headies Awards, while the album itself won Best Album at the 2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
However, financial disputes led to his departure from E.M.E. around 2013-2014. Reportedly receiving only 25% of his earnings, Wizkid founded Starboy Entertainment on March 5, 2013, taking control of his career. The label initially signed artists including L.A.X, R2bees, Mr. Eazi, and Legendury Beatz, later rebranding to Starboy Worldwide in 2016 after signing Ghanaian singer Efya.
His international breakthrough arrived in 2016 when he featured on Drake’s “One Dance,” which topped charts in over 15 countries and currently holds 11x Platinum (Diamond) certification in the United States. That collaboration opened doors, leading to partnerships with Chris Brown, Skepta, and Beyoncé, with whom he won his first Grammy in 2021 for “Brown Skin Girl.”
In March 2017, Wizkid signed a multi-album worldwide deal with RCA Records, a Sony Music subsidiary, while maintaining ownership of his copyrights.
The 2020-2025 period is Wizkid’s most successful era. His fourth studio album “Made in Lagos” (October 30, 2020) became a global phenomenon, featuring “Essence” with Tems, the first Nigerian song to crack the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, peaking at #9. The track earned 5x Platinum RIAA certification, held #1 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for 27 consecutive weeks, and spent 52 weeks in the Top 10, setting a chart record.
“More Love, Less Ego” followed in November 2022, incorporating amapiano and pop influences through collaborations with Skepta, Ayra Starr, and Don Toliver. NME praised it as “a masterful collection” where Wizkid “perfected his universal pop sound.”
“Morayo” (November 22, 2024), his tribute to his late mother, shattered streaming records with 16.27 million Spotify streams globally on day one, the biggest debut for any African album. Its opening week delivered 42-48 million streams, while lead single “Kese (Dance)” became the fastest solo African track to reach 10 million Spotify streams in just nine days. The album features collaborations with Brent Faiyaz (“Piece of My Heart”), Jazmine Sullivan (“Bad For You”), and Asake (“Bad Girl”).
Recent 2025 collaborations include “Lighter” with David Guetta, “Dynamite” with Tyla, “Kai!” with Olamide, and “Gimme Dat” with Ayra Starr, which earned a 2026 Grammy nomination.
In January 2026, Wizkid achieved another historic milestone, becoming the first African artist to surpass 10 billion total Spotify streams. This came after hitting 8 billion in 2024 and 9 billion in June 2025, sealing his position as the continent’s most-streamed artist. He currently maintains approximately 13.8 million monthly Spotify listeners.
Historic Tours and Performances
Wizkid’s live performances have consistently broken barriers. During his Made in Lagos Tour (2021-2022), he sold out three consecutive nights at London’s O2 Arena in November-December 2021, becoming the first African artist to achieve this feat. All 60,000 tickets sold out in just 35 minutes total, with surprise appearances from Chris Brown, Burna Boy, Skepta, and Ella Mai.
In November 2022, he headlined Madison Square Garden, becoming the second Nigerian artist to perform at the iconic venue. But his crowning achievement came on July 29, 2023, when he became the first African artist to headline and sell out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, performing before 45,000 fans. Following that concert, he received the BRIT Billion Award for exceeding 1 billion UK streams, becoming the first African artist to receive this honor.
He’s also headlined Rolling Loud Toronto (September 2022), performed at Glastonbury Festival (June 2023), and appeared at Coachella 2024. His documentary “Wizkid: Long Live Lagos,” directed by Karam Gill, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025 before debuting on HBO and HBO Max on December 11, 2025. The film records his journey from Surulere to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium concert, exploring his cultural impact and the globalization of Afrobeats.
On January 8, 2026, Wizkid returned to the UK with his partner Jada Pollock and their three children aboard a private jet, signaling the start of what Pollock described as an “intense schedule” for the first three months of 2026, filled with back-to-back engagements.
Awards and Recognition
The figure of “30 out of 118 nominations” grossly understates Wizkid’s achievements. Current verified counts show approximately 156-157 total awards, making him Africa’s most awarded artist in history.
His Grammy credentials include one win (Best Music Video for “Brown Skin Girl” with Beyoncé in 2021) and six total nominations, including Best Global Music Album and Best Global Music Performance for “Made in Lagos” and “Essence” (2022), Best African Music Performance for “MMS” with Asake (2025), and for “Gimme Dat” with Ayra Starr (2026).
Other major international awards include four BET Awards (most by any African artist), three Billboard Music Awards (most by any African artist), two American Music Awards (most by any African artist), three Soul Train Awards (most by any African artist), six MOBO Awards (tied for most by any African artist), two iHeartRadio Music Awards, and five NAACP Image Awards, including 2024/2025’s Outstanding Collaboration for “Piece of My Heart.”
In Africa, he holds 17 Headies Awards (most in the award’s history), 10 AFRIMA wins (Guinness World Record holder for most AFRIMA victories), and the 2021 Apple Music Award for Africa Artist of the Year.
Personal Life
Wizkid has five children from three mothers. His first son, Boluwatife Balogun, was born on May 13, 2011, to Shola Ogudu and is now 14, having recently released his debut EP “Champions Arrival.” His second son, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun Jr., was born on January 18, 2016, to Binta Diamond Diallo, a Guinean-American model.
His current partner is Jada Pollock, a British talent manager from South London born on October 20, 1983. They’ve been together since approximately 2014, with Jada serving as both his partner and music manager. Together, they have three children: Zion Ayo-Balogun (born October 28, 2017), AJ Balogun (born August 1, 2022), and Morayo Balogun (born November 15, 2024), his first daughter.
Despite Wizkid joking at a 2024 concert about being “a married man,” he and Jada aren’t officially married. He made his first public appearance with daughter Morayo at the June 2025 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of his HBO documentary.
Wizkid primarily resides in London with Jada and their children but maintains properties in Lagos and Los Angeles. He’s known for keeping his personal life relatively private, preferring to let his music speak louder than his lifestyle choices.
Net Worth
Wizkid’s net worth is at $50 million (approximately ₦76 billion), though estimates range from $30-50 million depending on the source.
His wealth comes from multiple revenue streams. Performance fees reportedly range from $300,000-$500,000 per international show, reaching up to $1 million for major headline events. Major endorsement deals have included UBA (United Bank for Africa) at $3 million (N1 billion), described as Africa’s biggest endorsement deal at the time in 2019, Ciroc Premium Vodka at N300 million (~$750,000+) as the brand’s first major African face (2018), PUMA at $1 million per year (2020), Nike/NFF through a five-year partnership (2018), and cumulative Pepsi deals totaling $1.8 million over multiple renewals (2012-2015). Current partnerships include Hennessy (2025) and D’Usse (2023).
His property portfolio spans three countries. In Lagos, he owns two mansions in Ikoyi valued at approximately N2.4 billion combined, plus properties in Surulere, Lekki, and reportedly Banana Island. His London mansion, purchased for approximately £2.6 million (N1.37 billion), was reportedly the first such property owned by a Nigerian musician in London. He also maintains a multi-million dollar property in Los Angeles, acquired in 2016.
Cars and Luxury Assets
Wizkid’s car collection is valued at an estimated $4-12 million (₦4-12 billion) and features approximately 15+ vehicles. Recent acquisitions include a Ferrari 296 GTS (₦1.4 billion, acquired February 2025), McLaren 750S MSO (₦1.7 billion, acquired December 2024), and Ferrari SF90 Stradale (₦1.4 billion).
His garage also houses a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge (₦600+ million), Lamborghini Urus and Aventador, multiple Rolls-Royces, Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, Bentley Continental, Porsche Cayenne and Panamera, BMW X6, Hyundai Sonata, and a black Honda Accord I-VTEC.
Cultural Impact
Wizkid stands as one of the “Big Three” of Afrobeats alongside Burna Boy and Davido, the triumvirate that has dominated and globalized African music since the early 2010s. While Burna Boy earned acclaim as the “African Giant” with politically conscious music and a Grammy for Best Global Music Album (2021), and Davido as “OBO” is known for high-energy hits, Wizkid’s contribution lies in his smooth, minimalist R&B-infused sound that created the blueprint for modern Afrobeats’ global appeal.
His influence extends beyond music. He actively participated in the #EndSARS movement in 2020, postponing the “Made in Lagos” release in solidarity with protesters. His collaborations opened doors for subsequent Nigerian artists like Tems, Rema, Ayra Starr, and Asake to achieve international success.
As the first African artist to walk for Dolce & Gabbana (2018), headline Rolling Loud, and sell out multiple iconic venues across North America and Europe, Wizkid’s career firsts have repeatedly expanded what’s possible for African artists on the global stage.
